Job 22:23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 22:21-30

Methinks I can almost forgive Eliphaz his hard censures of Job, which we had in the beginning of the chapter, though they were very unjust and unkind, for this good counsel and encouragement which he gives him in these verses with which he closes his discourse, and than which nothing could be better said, nor more to the purpose. Though he thought him a bad man, yet he saw reason to have hopes concerning him, that, for all this, he would be both pious and prosperous. But it is strange that out... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 22:23

If thou return to the Almighty ,.... Which supposes a departure from him; and that is by sinning against him, which should be repented of, confessed, and pardoning grace and mercy be implored, by all those that have backslidden, and return to God; to which they are encouraged by his being the "Almighty", who has power to forgive sins, also to cause all grace to abound, and to save to the uttermost; he is not a God that is prayed and returned to, that cannot save, or whose hand is shortened,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 22:23

Thou shalt be built up - God will restore thee to thy wonted state of prosperity; and thou shalt again have a household, not only of servants, but of children also. So much may be Implied in the words, Thou shalt be Built Up. See my sermon on Job 22:21-23 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 22:1-30

Eliphaz returns to the attack, but with observations that are at first strangely pointless and irrelevant, e.g. on the unprofitableness of man to God (verses l, 2), and on the slight importance of Job's case (verse 3). After this weak prelude, however, there is more vigour in his assault. In verses 4-9 he directly charges Job with a number of specified sins, and in verses 10, 11 declares his sufferings to be the consequence of them. He then proceeds to accuse him of denying God's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 22:1-30

Censorious and uncharitable reasoning. Eliphaz again takes up the word. He does not contest Job's position, that life presents many examples of the prosperity of the godless, and of the calamities of the godly, but he still maintains that only grievous sins, such as he proceeds to specify — oppression, hard-heartedness, injustice to his neighbours—could be the cause of his misfortunes and miseries (verses 2-10). He then proceeds to give an earnest warning against further indulgence in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 22:21-30

At this point a transition occurs. Eliphaz turns away from reproaches, open or covert, designed to exhibit Job as an example of extreme wickedness, and falls back on those topics which were the main subjects of his first exhortation ( Job 5:8-27 ), viz. an earnest appeal to Job to return to God, to repent and amend (verses 21-23) and a lavish outpouring of promises, or prophecies, that in that case he should be delivered from all his troubles, should recover his wealth and prosperity, obtain... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 22:21-30

Eliphaz to Job: 3. An uncalled for exhortation. I. THE PATHWAY OF PENITENCE . 1 . Acquaintance with God . The word points to such an intimate knowledge of God as might be secured by dwelling with him on familiar terms in the same house. The meaning is that Job required, as a first step towards temporal and spiritual recovery, to disabuse his mind of the obviously false impressions of the Divine character which he entertained, and to get to know God as he really was in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 22:21-30

Peace with God. In clear words reconciliation with God is urged. "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace." Ignorance of God casts men off from the highest good—from the fellowship of their truest and best Friend. Deep in the heart of the wicked enmity against God reigns. This is sin's utmost folly. Men are to be judged by their relation to a pure and true standard. The utmost condetonation lies buried in a repudiation of the highest goodness, the supreme righteousness, the purest... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 22:23

If thou shalt return to the Almighty . Eliphaz, like Bildad in Job 8:5 , and Zophar in Job 11:13 , taxes Job with having fallen away from God, almost with having apostatized. All his prophecies of future prosperity rest upon the assumption that Job, having fallen away, is now about to turn to God, repent of his misdoings, and be again received with favour . Thou shall be built up ; i.e. "restored, re-established! Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles (comp. Job... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 22:23

The penitent's return and restoration. I. THE RETURN . 1 . To God. All sin is departure from God; and repentance is a return to God. As the fall is from personal relations, so the recovery is a renewal of personal relations. When the sinner comes to himself, he sees that his one hope is to "arise and go unto" his Father. Thus the very Being against whom he has sinned is sought for pardon and restoration. Now, it is not possible to mend our ways without thus coming back to God.... read more

Group of Brands